The Ultimate in the Ultimatum
by BeeHiveDo
Summary: After the Ultimate Ultimatum, Booth and Bones go their own ways. Booth...back to Hannah and Bones off to live a life with purpose and without regrets. The story picks up when they meet for the first time Post Hannah.
1. Chapter 1

2 years. It had been two years since he had seen her? Could that be right? He remembered the events vividly. He was drunk...Hannah rejected his proposal and SHE showed up. _As much as he wished he didn't, he even remembered the ultimatum that he issued._She didn't like EITHER option. She left. She could have stayed but he wouldn't have known because he refused to turn around and watch HER walk away again. True to his word, he sent a new FBI guy 8 days later... when the newest case had been uncovered. Little did he know that she had headed out to 'parts unknown' long before the new guy hit the door.

In all fairness to him, he planned on making things right with her after he had driven home the message that he didn't need her as anything other than a partner. When his rotation (much like the interns, the FBI was now rotating agents to work with the squints) came around for the first time in... WOW! 3 months... he was a little less than surprised to learn that she was away on some dig. After his 3rd or 4th rotation, he finally was interested enough to ask. Angela...Cam...Hodgins... All told him that she was working on a dig until further notice. When Hannah returned, he was relieved of the diversion and could finally give their relationship everything he had.

Now after 2 years of not seeing her, he's blinded by her presence. No warning. No fanfare. He enters the Jeffersonian Fundraiser and is sucker punched by the attendance of Dr. Temperance Brennan.

Making his way to Hodgins at the bar, Booth baits his hook. "Bugman!" he greet the man. "Booth! Long time no see!", replied Jack. "I guess it's a little awkward over there..." Jack cocked his head with a sincere look of curiosity. "Dr. Brennan is here!" Booth wanted to be the one to enlighten the oblivious entomologist. "It must be awkward since no one has seen her for the last 2 years, Hodgins!"

Without malice, Jack responded "We've seen her every week Booth! What are you talking about?" Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Bones hadn't shut everyone out of her life... she shut BOOTH out of her life. A light came on in Hodgins head... Booth hadn't seen Dr B in 2 years! Leading Booth back towards the table, Jack tried to figure out how this had all happened. He and Angela didn't know what led up to the split except that it was B.A.D. Brennan hadn't discussed it with Angela and Jack didn't have the kind of relationship with her to pry it out of her. Angela knew that in time, Dr. B would share what she wanted them to know. It was a standoff of sorts. Still, it seemed strange that Booth didn't know that her dig was in Virginia and she had been back in town weekly. Her work with the interns continued and she still signed off on the reports for the lab.

Almost to the table, Booth stopped to watch her. She was...dazzling. Her soft blue gown, fitted perfectly to her frame, accentuated her long neck and well toned arms. He was breathless. She was engaged in a lively conversation, smiling freely and seemingly having the time of her life. Her long, graceful fingers were wrapped around the wine glass she was holding and for a brief moment, Booth actually despised the goblet for being so fortunate to find itself held in her grasp. Her free hand reached out and touched the arm of one of her spellbound companions to emphasize whatever point she was trying to make. The group broke into hearty laughter and Booth gasped for air. At that moment, their eyes met. She saw him and time stood still. Her head slowly tilted, her smile was genuine then just as quickly as it had started, the moment stopped! STOPPED! Her attention was directed back to her conversation! How could she, with so little thought, dismiss him with the flick of an eye?

The anger in him manifested itself in his shaking hands. FURIOUS! He was FURIOUS! He staggered back several steps and inadvertently stepped into another person. He spun quickly to express his apologies and was looking into the face of Angela. Her eyes were soft with the understanding only a friend could convey. He stammered his regret for jostling her. She smiled kindly and greeted him. "It's been a while, Booth. How are you?" "I can't believe she's here, Angela. Why didn't anyone tell me?" He needed the Artist to answer.

"Booth, our team has worked with you ... What? 5 times since she started working in Virginia? When did you want us to tell you? "The words were delivered as gently as possible but as truthful as warranted. "You haven't really asked about her so quite frankly, we thought you had some kind of 'deal' worked out." Angela wasn't entirely sure what it was he needed her to tell him.

Booth was grasping at the facts, as fast as he could and trying to create some order from chaos. "Right...no... You're right, Angela. I see how it happened. I mean, me and Bones, (pregnant pause) we have our own thing... it's just that I wasn't expecting to see her tonight." Angela took his arm and led him to the bar. "Booth, we haven't asked questions. We haven't changed. The team has been there and worked each case, with whatever agent showed. We worked with Bren to provide the answers the FBI needed. You never offered any explanation about what made things change and neither did she. The team... well... continued to support BOTH' parents in the divorce'. We didn't take sides since we didn't know what went on."

"Angela, I know you guys have been better to me than I have been to you. I haven't been invested in our friendship since we all returned. You all stood by me after Hannah refused my proposal and Bones took off. You were supportive when Hannah and I took a second shot at it. I thought I owed it to her to give my relationship with Hannah everything I had. My friendships fell off my radar. When Hannah left the second time, I had already spent all my energy on making it work with her. I didn't have the ... strength to start rebuilding relationships. I know you guys were there and I appreciate the space I thought I needed. I am very lucky you consider me your friend." Angela straightened and decided to lay all the cards on the table. "Hodgins asked me to check on you. He is worried. We didn't know that you and Bren hadn't talked since she left. Jack is your friend, too."

"And I don't know what I did to deserve either of you." Booth wasn't sure how smart it was, but he was nothing if not spontaneous. "Let me take you back to the table" he said offering the Artist his arm. The welcome he received from the Medico Lab crew was heartwarming. He acknowledged each of them... one by one with eye contact, nods and greetings. He noticed that _she_ was no longer there. His eyes quickly scanned the room and found her on the dance floor being led by what he could only assume was an important donor to the Jeffersonian. Without another thought, he headed to the fairy light dance floor with one purpose only... "Excuse me, but I am cutting in!"


	2. Chapter 2

After the partner exchange, Booth focused on a spot on the wall. "How are ya, Bones?" She smiled up at him and responded "I am well, Booth. How are you?"

"I am better than I expected!" He saw the quizzical look on her face from the corner of his eye. Sparing her the effort of asking him, he continued "I expected you to lay me flat on my ass for that 'display of alpha-maleness. I hope you are disappointed that I cut in." The Booth-patented charm smile was full force. NOW he had the confidence to look her in the eye. Now, HE was the one in control.

"On the contrary, Booth. I prefer to dance with the alpha." Her eyes confirmed the gentle teasing. He was thrilled that she was playing along. "You saved me from hearing yet another story from 'the good old days' of the Jeffersonian. Professor Clarkson is very knowledgeable but VERY boring." Neither was sure how many songs went by as the floated around the dance floor, absorbed in idle conversation.

"Booth, I'm afraid I am going to have to get something to drink. Would you like to join me?" His hand instinctively fell onto his spot on her lower back, leading her through the crowd to the bar.  
After receiving their drinks, they moved away from the crowd gathered near the refreshments. He asked her about her absence from the Jeffersonian rotation. Her eyes lit with excitement as she launched in to a dialog about the fascinating Native American settlement found very close to Colonial Williamsburg, Va. "History reflects a harmonious relationship between the settlements but the remains found _outside _the burial grounds of the Native Americans tells a completely different story. I am afraid that is all you are going to get from me _Agent Booth _until the unveiling of the exhibit next month." Her enthusiasm was contagious. Booth caught himself hanging on every word falling from of her mouth. He shook his head slightly to get back on track. "Leave it to you, Bones to uncover an ancient murder!"

"I really should get back to the Jeffersonian group, Booth." He was unwilling to turn surrender her attention without a fight. "I will go say hello" he said, leading her across the room. The reception from the squints was warm and genuine. Brennan greeted Cam and slowly made her way around the table, speaking to co-workers as she went. Booth kissed Cam on the cheek in lieu of greeting. "Seeley! How good to see you!" the pathologist tilted her eyebrow indicating that she wanted to know what led him to the table. "Lower your eyebrow,_ Camille,  
_there is nothing to see here! And don't call me Seeley!"

"I've only seen you a handful to times in two years. Why the sudden appearance?" She pressed on. Knowing that his friend wasn't going to let it drop, he said "I've worked my rotation with the squints... I don't know what you mean. And when did you become so distrustful of my actions?" Now in fully amused mode, Cam responded "I've never trusted you when you turn my questions back around like you are being attacked. You aren't playing with one of your clueless followers, Seeley. I_ know _you."

Booth pressed on but never removed his eyes from Brennan. "You know me, Cam. I have nothing but morbid curiosity about what has happened at the lab since I've not been there. Nothing more. What can you tell me about the new exhibits?" Spraying her drink into her hand, Cam snorted "Any particular exhibit you're interested in, Agent Booth? Let me guess. Hmmm ... you want to take Parker to the Earth Changes exhibit? Cut the crap. You want to know all about the Williamsburg Project that your former partner worked... see what she has been doing...check up on her. My best advice is to buy tickets to the opening. Our little anthropologist is all grown up. She's established herself in a whole new arena. I'm proud of her and won't let you ruin it for her."

"We go way back Cam. I'm not here to ruin anything for her. I didn't even know she would be here tonight!" Booth's frustration was evident by his strained voice and splotchy neck. Cam suggested they step outside for fresh air. "Seeley, I don't know what happened between you two. I am not sure that I want to know. You got what you wanted from our beloved Dr. Brennan and it looks to me that now you aren't satisfied! _You told me _a _long time ago, _you said you were 'with Bones all the way'. When Hannah entered the picture, you were FAR from 'with Bones'. You couldn't have _been_ further from her! She was supportive... hell, we ALL were supportive of your relationship. But that wasn't enough for you. You took it further. When Hannah turned you down and whatever happened with Dr. Brennan happened, she found something besides _you _to occupy her time. I still don't know WHAT you were thinking when you went back with Hannah but my best guess is that it was some message to Brennan. Newsflash, Seeley! She didn't get the message! She didn't wait around for you this time! You severed a partnership that had already been broken and discarded. But now, it's Dr. Brennan's story. She is going to be recognized for her work, which has fulfilled her for the last 23 months. Get over yourself!"

"Wow, Cam... don't church it up for me! I don't know where all that came from but I..." He didn't have the heart to justify the past. "I guess I should go say 'goodnight' to the others and head out. It was nice seeing you." He hesitantly headed indoors to bid the rest farewell. The Hodgins were heading towards the door with Brennan in tow. He instinctively hurried to catch them. "You guys headed out, too?" He asked. Angela spoke for the group "Hodgins hates these things and I want to get home to Michael. Don't be a stranger, alright, Booth?"

Finally finding his courage, Booth stepped closer to Brennan. "Did you drive here, Bones?" She replied negatively. "Let me take you home. Angela can get home to Michael faster; you and I can catch up..." He was cut off by Brennan who replied "I really can't ask you to drive to Georgetown, Booth. It will be about 4 hours round trip for you."

"You MOVED? You didn't TELL ME you MOVED?" Somewhat taken aback, Brennan responded "I moved about 18 months ago, Booth. I hardly find that newsworthy after 18 months! Regardless, I will take a cab home. It has been nice seeing you." There was finality in her statement that he refused to accept. "No, Bones. I was just surprised to hear that you moved from your condo. I would like to drive you... to your home. Just like old times, eh?"


	3. Chapter 3

He watched the cab carry her away again until he could no longer tell which set of tail lights belonged to the offending vehicle. He wasn't sure how long he stood there but suddenly realized that he had to move. Temperance Brennan had dismissed him. More than once this evening! That was the straw that broke the camel's back. If she wanted to play that with him, she could consider it _ON! _He invented the cat/mouse thing. He was KING of the game. She would not best him.

After a call to the cab company, a quick scribble of the address, Booth was on his way home. He had some very serious investigating ... maybe the most serious of his career, to get done. He searched for her last book. He knew it was there somewhere. He wasn't sure why he had purchased the book but, considering the time of night, was glad he had. His intent was to scan through and get the gist of the story. In typical T.B style, she pulled him in; hook, line and sinker. Before he realized it, he had been reading for 13 hours. He was in need of serious sleep.

His mental clarity improved after he woke up, late afternoon. He ate while he formulated his strategy. He jotted down his plan:  
1. Read the book CHECK  
2. Investigate the Williamsburg Project  
3. Figure out what she's been doing since

the rest, he would figure out as he went along. He was thinking of her book. Although it hit the Best Sellers List, he was surprised at how the ending just fizzled. There was no big finale. No fireworks. No umph. Kathy and Andy simply stopped being. He didn't get it. Why would people buy in to that? There should have been a huge explosion or maybe a terrorist. Something major should have happened that led to the demise of the partnership. Nope. Not in the book. Nada. Nothing. What made that story sell? Why would anyone be interested in reading about a long term partnership that just ended without something dramatic or some kind of closure? According to his research, this had been Brennan's most popular book. Enough of that dead horse, though. He had to keep focus on his agenda.

Next was the Williamsburg project. There was sufficient information available about the settlement and the many projects that surround it. Historically, it was interesting. There wasn't much about Brennan's work there. He checked anthropology websites, facebook and all of the 'Brennanites' forums. While everyone was talking about her, no one was talking about what she was working on if they knew. He came across some crazy stuff about her which led him down a rabbit hole. A fan site had pictures. Some were staged and some were candid. Most of them, Brennan was alone. He chuckled at the pictures of her in her 'eco-warrior' clothes. Baggy, rumpled and sexy as hell, in his opinion. Her hair was in a simple pony tail. That was his personal favorite. No makeup and totally absorbed in what she was doing. This was definitely his favorite Bones. He found a schedule of her appearances. She had done an extensive tour for her book, quite a few lectures and had more than several written contributions to industry specific journals. She had been working with a smoking hot schedule!

After hours of delving in to everything Temperance, he was still in the dark about the Williamsburg Project. It was time to move on. He would come back to it when he had uncovered more information.

He googled her address. Nice. She bought the Federal style home in Georgetown's East Village 18 months ago. It had 5 beds and 4 full baths, 2 1/2 baths...Wow! She had paid 3.695 million for it. He audibly gulped at the price and the size of the home. He could see the rationale behind moving closer to halfway between D.C and Williamsburg since her work had taken 2 years and apparently she had commuted to the Jeffersonian, but this place was overkill! Did this mean she wouldn't be moving back to D.C since she was done? Was she done? She was on the book tour after she bought the home and wouldn't have been there for 2 months after. Returning to his search of her private life, he scanned through the details of the place. It was a single family dwelling and in a nice neighborhood. Close to the University. There were several vegan restaurants within walking distance and more than a few organic green grocers to choose from. If Bones spent any time in her home or neighborhood, she had chosen VERY well. A quick check on the sexual offender's website showed a few living within 5 miles of her. He would run those guys through the system at the FBI when he returned to work on Monday. A friendly visit from him would ensure that these guys stayed on the straight and narrow. Google earth provided no current images of her home. He found himself at another dead end.

Grabbing his keys and the address he acquired from the cab company (with a little help from his FBI status) Booth found himself in his truck before he realized he was on his way. He looked around as he drove. He wanted to take in the scenery. He wanted to see what she saw, drive the roads she drove. Perhaps it would provide him the answers that he was working so hard to find. His thoughts whirled with the little he knew. She paid a lot of money for this place. It was far from her previous address. There would be no doorman to watch out for her. There would be little security. Who pays that much money for a home? There were great choices at 1/3 that price! How much space did one anthropologist need?

The trip ended before he realized that 2 hours had passed. He found himself around the corner from her home, stakeout style. Although it was dark outside, he could tell that the building was amazing. Its grace and beauty was founded in its simplicity, very much like its owner. There was nothing modern about it, unlike her condo. It was a single family dwelling, unlike her condo. There appeared to be a garage in the back corner of the property. Booth couldn't be sure. It most definitely went with her home. Although it was a modern addition, the outbuilding was built in the same style as the home and decorated with the same shutters. Under cover of darkness, he decided to walk closer for a look. Feigning indifference, he strolled past the fence that surrounded her place. He was slow enough to peek through the fence boards. A small pool was the center of a wonderful brick patio which leads to a thick garden patch. It appeared as if Bones had gotten in touch with her inner gardener. As he came up on the outbuilding, he realized it was both a garage and guest house. Losing his focus, he found himself up against the fence, looking in at her private oasis. Picture perfect. Just like Brennan herself. He checked his watch. It was a little after 1 am. If he hurried, he would get home, grab a nap and be up in time to start his footwork on the Project while it was still early. There would be very few people at the Jeffersonian on a Sunday if he timed it right.

Turning to move stealthily back to his vehicle, Booth came face to face with one Max Keenan.

I don't own the characters. They all belong to the others. No copyright infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN: I have to apologize for the 'spatial distortion' I caused by misrepresenting where Jamestown was located. I did use mapquest but I started with faulty information and it went down hill from there. I have requested that Washington DC relocate itself so that it fits into the parameters of my story. As of the time of posting, I have yet to hear from them on when they have decided to relocate themselves. ;)**_

Thank you to the reviewers who caught it!

Max Keenan was many things but oblivious wasn't one of them. He saw someone paying too much attention to the house from the guest house and went out to investigate. The fact that he had a steady temperament worked in Booth's favor. More than one man found himself dead and gutted by being perceived a threat to those that Max loved. It was good fortune that Max didn't add Booth to the list of others. The moon and street lights blended together enough to cast each man's shadow and they were now face to face.

"What can I do for you, Booth? Did you have business here at this unGodly hour? " Booth squirmed in discomfort while quickly trying to regain his composure and create a plausible excuse for his presence. Neither action went without Max's notice. "No Max. I'm unannounced. I saw Bones last night and she mentioned that she moved. I was in the neighborhood, thought I might as well check it out, ya know?"

The old con chuckled. "Relax. She isn't home. Her car is gone but before you ask, I don't know where she went." Max was enjoying every moment of Booths discomfort at having been found out. He wasn't even trying to hide his amusement. Booth's aggravation increased by the moment. "It's the middle of the night and you don't know where your daughter is? Really Max? When is the last time you saw her?"

_"Relax _FEEB. Tempe is grown woman who can take care of herself. If that doesn't work, I have a lojack on her cell and car. If she needs me, I'm there. What about you? What have you been doing lately?" Max was just short of snorting laughter at this point and Booth had had enough. He wasn't about to allow Max the upper hand without a fight. "I told you, Max. I was just in the area and a little curious. Bones and I used to share Thai food late at night, all the time. Why is it so strange that I came by now?"

Max loudly clapped his hands while containing his laughter "Hallelujah! Thai food! I'm starving and since Tempe isn't home, you have plenty to share! Where is it? Where is the food?" Max was peeking around Booth in exaggerated fashion, patting him as if looking for concealed spring rolls. He swatted at Max's hands as they continued the futile search for hidden food. "Booth? Where's the Thai you brought to share? How were you going to share food with Tempe when you didn't bring food?" This was so much better than the cable television he watched in the guest house. Max couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed something this much! "Knock it the hell off, Max! I didn't bring Thai food! I just haven't been keeping up with the changes in Bones' life and wanted to get caught up. There! Is that so bad?"

Max considered the outburst as an end to his fun but still wasn't ready to turn the Agent loose. "No, Booth. There is nothing wrong with that. Doesn't that Bureau you work for encourage _honesty, _and truth in disclosure? You haven't been playing honestly with me" Max waggled his finger at Booth like a reprimand to a small child. "Even though you didn't bring any Thai food to share, I was going to have a beer. Care to join me?" Booth wasn't sure it was a good idea, but it would lead him into the inner sanctuary of the fenced yard. "I could drink one". Max led Booth back to the private entrance to the guest house, through the fence and to the doorway of the place Booth assumed was Max's home. As if reading his mind, Max said "I don't live here. I stay around sometimes to make sure she's ok. She is rarely here from Saturday night until Monday morning but I like the place,' and with a shrug of his shoulders said 'so sometimes I stay over anyway."

Booth had known Max for a while. Something didn't quite add up. Max didn't stick around one place very long, even when he was on the straight and narrow. Booth wondered if there was more to the story but knew he wouldn't get it out of Max without a lot of hard work AND he knew it wouldn't be tonight. Max had led him into the guest house. It wasn't something Booth would have guessed belonged to Bones. The spacious open room off of the entry was decorated in a whimsical fashion with light airy colors and lots of art on the walls. Booth recognized some of it as Angela's. Blues, greens and whites blended the room with shocking blasts of yellow and red. There was nothing there that was similar to Bones' condo. No hint of her previous home. There were some artifacts but more...domestic in nature. He looked around the room absorbing every thing he could. Max just casually watched as Booth wandered around looking. He still couldn't believe his luck! He was about to call it a night when he noticed Booth outside the fence. If he had gone to bed, he would have missed all this!

"So, Booth, what's been keeping you busy?" Max pulled 2 beers from the fridge and offered one in Booth's direction. He took it , thanking the elder man and used the bottle to point around the room. "Max, what's up with this place? Bones just keeps it here in case you want to stay over?" Max knew he was going to have to lay some ground rules for the conversation. Even though he hadn't enjoyed himself this much in a while, he wasn't willing to risk the wrath of his daughter if he disclosed her personal information. He still wasn't sure if Booth was a friend or foe and Temperance wasn't exactly open to sharing her feelings on the subject of Seeley Booth.

"Nothing as 'organized' as all that, Booth. She has a guest house and I stay sometimes. Other people have stayed here, too. I lay no claims on the place. I like to spend time with my daughter and this is a nice place to stay while I do that." Booth thought about it for a minute but wasn't satisfied with so little information. He pressed on with Max only to be cut off "Son, I am going to lay it all out on the table for you. I don't know what you are to my daughter and I won't risk damaging my relationship with her by telling you things that aren't my place to tell. Tempe needs to be the person you direct your questions to."

After a few more beers and casual conversation, (Booth was surprised to remember that he enjoyed Max's company) neither was sure who suggested it but it was decided that Booth was in no condition to drive and would stay the night. Since his daughter wasn't home, Max led Booth into the main house to the second floor guest room. Booth fell asleep in the bed before he really thought about where he was. He remembers being comforted by the unique smell of the sheets, something he had long ago attributed to his former partner. The next thing he knew, sunlight was streaming in the windows and a dark shadow fell over his half awake form. He never opened his eyes, but rolled away with an insult directed at Max. When the shadow cleared _her_ throat, Booth's eyes snapped open but he didn't move a muscle.


	5. Chapter 5

"I can see your eyes are open in the reflection off the mirror on the nightstand, Booth. Here, drink this water to prevent dehydration. Can you explain what you're doing in my guest room, reeking of alcohol, at" pausing to consult her watch "10:34 on a Sunday Morning? " Slowly turning to accept the water, Booth shut his eyes and drank. He was trying to buy time to compose an answer that would make sense. His mind was reeling! His heart rate increased and he could feel the early signs of perspiration forming on his brow. He was stuck with NO WAY OUT.

He avoided her eyes when he finally opened them and mumbled something she wasn't able to make out. "Booth! I'm starting to get concerned?! Should I call 911 for medical assistance?" His head snapped up and his eyes met hers. "Good." Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "It would appear that I've garnered your attention. Why don't you get yourself straightened up? There is a bathroom through that door " she pointed with her middle finger. He thought it curious that he didn't remember she used her middle finger to point. "And I'll make coffee. I will see you downstairs?" Booth nodded and waited for her to leave the room. She shut the door soundly as she retreated to start the coffee. Booth scrubbed a hand over his morning stubble. He was not sure what he was going to say. With all of his plans, he had totally failed to script this conversation! His confusion was compounded by the fact that he was caught. in. her. house. Deciding against delaying the inevitable, Booth got up and went to the washroom to clean up.

As he descended down the stairs, Booth couldn't concentrate on anything other than the home itself. He didn't recall much from the trip up the stairs but walking into her private domain, one completely devoid of everything 'Booth', he felt his head spinning. There were no pictures with him, none of the small nicknacks he used to ply her with, and nothing that was generally classified as 'Boothy'. He stepped off the bottom step and sucked in a deep breath. Although the surroundings were totally alien to him, the air was pure, classic, retro-Temperance. He followed the hallway towards the kitchen but found it empty. Damn! How many times would she catch him off guard? He couldn't anticipate her next move. He moved around stealthily and ran his hand across the counter top. He could almost see her cooking here. To his left was an impressive collection of wine in a small, glass doored fridge. He could imagine her wine glass resting on the marble surface. His mind's eye flashed a mini-epic of Bones, in this kitchen being... happy?

His embarrassment at being discovered by Max, then found by Bones and now alone in her kitchen took second place to the confusion he felt since seeing her Friday night. He thought this ship had sailed. He was sure that he was done when he issued his ultimatum. He was sure of his decision when he forced the time out, wasn't he? Shaking his head, he reached for a cabinet and found the cups. He poured each of them a cup and headed for the fridge for the soy milk without thinking about his actions. It struck him. He KNEW Bones but he didn't know her. He knew he would find the soy milk in a neat, organized refrigerator. He knew she would hold the cup with both hands, as if coveting the warm liquid. Yet he had no idea what she had done for the last 2 years, where she had been, who she had hung out with in his absence... there were so many things he didn't know. What caused her to buy this home, all this space? Where were all her things that made the condo her home?

Booth wasn't sure if he was going to be able to sort his feelings for her or the situation any time soon. He was sure that Bones made the BEST cup of coffee he ever drank... always had, always would. It was probably hundreds of dollars per pound but he really didn't care. He stood looking out the window over the lovely little side yard that was neatly arranged with some very funky looking eco-friendly lawn furniture. It looked like teak and if he was honest, like something she would have brought back from some exotic place she had been. Leave it to Bones to find small things that surprised you where you least expected it. He turned towards the cozy breakfast area. A wall was covered in art. Nothing like the stuff at the condo. Happy colors, some floral lit the area with a glow of comfort. Whether it was the room, her home, or just a good day, he was starting to feel that comfort.

She entered the room and he knew it before he saw or heard her. It was just one of her charms or his gifts, he didn't care which. He liked it when it happened. He turned, offered a small, lifeless smile and held up his cup. "You always make the best coffee, Bones." He expected her to tell him that he was hardly able to quantify her coffee as the BEST but it didn't happen. She simply smiled and said "Thank you." He noted the absence of her explanation that with billions of people he had never had coffee with, he was far from qualified to promote her as the best. Continuing, she said "Would you like to sit down? I prefer to sit on the sun porch but this will work too." Booth held out his hand in a lead the way gesture. Her body was relaxed and he noticed as he followed that she still _rocked_ the yoga pants. Her bare feet padded over to a small sectional wicker sofa, she turned and sat. He joined her, a safe distance from her and took another drink of the coffee.

"I was somewhat surprised to find you here, Booth. Max wasn't very informative, although he did say before he left that you owe him Thai and he plans to collect?!" Booth smiled warmly at the old con's taunting and was kind of pleased that the door was open for a second visit, should he choose to pay up on the Thai. "So, is there something that brought you here last night?" He shrugged and stated that he was curious about her new life. By the furrow of her brow, he could tell that she didn't quite understand what he meant but she never said ' I don't know what that means.'

"My life isn't new, Booth. I made some small changes." It was all she offered in way of explanation and he took it. Concern was building for his inability to read her...expect her next action/reaction. He wanted to engage her further in conversation to find his 'Bones-o-meter'. "I read your latest best seller. I was sorry to see Kathy and Andy go away." She agreed that while change was sometimes troubling, it was inevitable. "Everything changes eventually, Booth. Kathy and Andy couldn't go on forever. I enjoyed writing them for years but it was time to end. It did receive excellent reviews and sales haven't slowed down. My publisher has me on another tour soon that they predict will increase sales even more. I find I'm rather looking forward to the tour."

"I remember when you couldn't stand those tours. You went, kicking and screaming all the way! What changed?" He was setting her up to challenge his imagery of her kicking and screaming. He expected her to reinforce her assertion that she wasn't a child. She disappointed him, not taking the bait. His face was fixed and he was studying her responses, her movements. "I have always liked travel and once I decided to give the tours a fair chance, I found there are many benefits to such. My publisher has the ability to acquire tickets for some very interesting events and venues. I have even attended several sporting matches and I have met some very interesting people that my work as an anthropologist would otherwise never offered the opportunity to meet**. **Your coveted Stanley Cup Final was an adrenaline charged event. I found it almost as exciting as the games I attended when you and Parker played. As nice as Darryl and the team was, I didn't have a personal interest in the game**. ** Although, I enjoyed it very much. I've been" but she was cut off in mid-sentence. Booth interjected "Bones?! You attended the Final, met the Kings and you 'enjoyed it very much'?"

She smiled wistfully and responded that yes, it was fun. By now, Booth was vertical. He was standing, with his arms flailed wide trying to make a point to her. "Bones, do you have any idea how _awesome_ it is that _you_ got to got to the _Final?_ And you met the Kings? I am dying! You don't even like hockey! How is that right?" She just listened to his rantings with a small smile on her face but got up to get something to show him. "Hang on Booth, I have something you may appreciate." She came back a few minutes later with a photo of her surrounded by Darryl Sutter and the LA Kings with the Stanley Cup. "Amazing...that's amazing! I didn't know you even _liked _hockey, Bones. I can't believe you were there!" It was true. She used to only attend sports that involved he and Parker. Bones and hockey! What next?

"Booth, I would be remiss as a hostess if I didn't offer you more coffee. Can I get you some?" She smiled warmly and in a flash Booth got it! She was acting. They weren't old friends having coffee. It was Temperance Brennan playing the part of the hostess and coffee companion. In living color.

**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews and to LABonesLover for the help! Her wonderful insight was instrumental in getting this chapter up!**


	6. Chapter 6

He felt relief at the quick getaway he was able to make. Looking back, it seems strange that she had facilitated his departure. She had gone from offering him more coffee to somehow helping him get to the door without awkward tension. It wasn't similar to the usual 'hanging out' they used to do. He had rarely, over the course of their partnership been glad to get away from her. Their history flashed through his mind as he drove. He remembered the early days when she hated him. His heart warmed at the transition into their relationship building years. There was heartache and comfort, fear and soothing, joy and celebration. He had quick glimpses of them as they built their 'family'. He couldn't help but smile as they added, one by one to the group of loved ones. He saw the leaps in her personal growth as well as the rewards he garnered along the way. There was a time when that part of his family was everything to him. He had looked forward to hearing from then when he first got to Afghanistan, but soon found himself too preoccupied with things to return any letters. To be honest, Hannah had taken up all the free time he had after Parker and Pops' communication. He had been so disappointed when Brennan didn't write. There was little joy in receiving letters from the rest of the team when he hadn't heard a word from her.

She was in a new place where there was nothing but calculated conversation and polite gestures. At no time had she ever been this... generic. Never with him. She had been the epitome of passion. Determination. Now she was simply polite and reserved. He thought back on those things she only shared with him. There was the silly Brennan, the determined, clinical Brennan. There was her softy Brennan (_never _seen by anyone but him), the workaholic, and they all held their merits. Then there was the pissed off self! He couldn't get enough of that one! You NEVER knew what that one would do. Chuckling, he realized he loved that one, probably the most. If she was mad at someone else, he would stand back and be prepared to act if needed. When she was angry at him, he would apologize, try to placate her, and sit patiently while she ranted at him about how she could take care of herself. Yep. That was probably the favorite.  
But those thoughts sadly led him back to the place where he began. There was now a new 'Bones' that he didn't know. Apparently, the rift was larger than he thought. Would he have to adjust to the 'new' Bones? He and Brennan had become 'just coffee'.

He arrived home just as his phone chirped. Not recognizing the number, he opened the text to read a message from Brennan. "You left something in my guest room. It will be at the Jeffersonian on Tuesday." A quick inventory of his pockets revealed that he had left his identification badge. He couldn't remember a time when he had left his badge and identification. He chalked it up to his quick departure from the bedroom where she had found him. It had unnerved him. It was untoward and unexpected. Obviously, he wasn't on his A-game.

Replying quickly to her text, he stated that he would need it tomorrow. "I'll be back around your neighborhood in a few hours. I can come get it." After he hit send, he cringed inwardly. When had her phone number become foreign to him? He was desperately trying to figure out what it was he wanted from her. Seeing her again was his goal She responded negatively to his visit but told him she could drop it tonight at the Lab. He specifically requested that she bring it by his apartment, if it wasn't too much trouble? Her simple reply was 'I will drop it by your apartment at 8 pm.' Success!

He found himself full of nervous energy and cleaning like a mad man. He kept his place clean but tidy wasn't in his DNA. He checked his fridge to make sure he had beer and wine to offer her. He also decided to make a vegetable version of his mother's lasagna, which, he hoped, she wouldn't be able to resist. Just as he finished dinner, there was a clear, confident knock on the door. The mountain had come to Mohammad.

Forcing himself to walk slowly to the door, he opened it to find the back of her head as she was heading for the elevator. "Bones! Hi... come in!" He used his charm smile and she nodded silently and entered. She failed to follow him down the hall past the foyer so he turned and extended his arm. "Come in." It wasn't lost on him that she used to just enter his home without hesitation.

Again, she nodded and walked forward, towards the living room. She finally spoke "Booth, I really have no intention of intruding, I just wanted to return your property to you." He felt himself scrambling to keep her from leaving. "No Bones, you aren't intruding. I just heated up some lasagna and thought you could join me." Her face showed distrust similar to the days before she really knew him. He felt like he was remains that she just hadn't figured out yet. He kept talking...against his better judgment. "You probably haven't eaten dinner, and I haven't eaten dinner and I have vegetable lasagna. What do you say?"

He could tell that she was really indecisive about his offer. "We could have a beer, eat some food... you know... catch up? I also have wine?!" When he thought he was finally winning, he decided to shut up and let her think. It used to be so much easier to read her. Now, he didn't recognize her indicators. It was agonizing to wait silently but it worked in his favor. She quietly agreed. Taking her coat to be hung up, he felt the flurry of butterflies in his stomach. He was making progress! "So what will it be, Bones? Beer or wine?"

She had a sinking feeling that she should leave. Something wasn't making sense. Booth never had vegetable lasagna to heat up. He was a carnivore. And wine? When did he start stocking wine when his choice of beverage was beer? Years ago, she would have fled. Now, she thought she might be strong enough to face this...whatever it was, without running or the appearance of her weaker ego. "Wine, please."

A/N: LABonesLover has to be the most amazing person I've never met! This chapter really was hard for me to get where I wanted it. She was sweet enough to take the challenge and read/review/correct! She is the most helpful person I NEVER met! ;) Thank you!

Brennan's thoughts take over next chapter. Hmmm.


	7. Chapter 7

He returned from the kitchen with her wine to find her running her hands over the surface of his bookcase. She was deep in thought and he wanted to just look at her. It was obvious that things had changed. She had changed. He was surprised she had stayed for dinner. He saw her inner conflict. He wasn't sure how he recognized it, but he did. Years ago, there would have been no conversation about it. Meals together were an unconscious action. Just like breathing? He guessed it was a good analogy. Everything they had once shared had been as easy and automatic as breathing.

Meanwhile her thoughts were of him. Was she seeing signs of the the Old Booth? She wasn't even sure she would recognize OB if she did see him. The newer Hannah-ized verision (Angela assured her it was a valid descriptor) of Booth wouldn't have prepared vegetable Lasagna. New Booth wouldn't be caught dead at a dinner table of vegetables. He would have rolled his eyes at the absurdity of having lasagna without meat. OB was thoughtful. He would eat the lasagna then wait until she left to consume a meat sandwich. She was almost certain she was having dinner with the 'original'. She quickly dismissed all those illogical thoughts running through her head. She wouldn't be sucked back into that painful vortex again. New Booth was no longer associated with anything except pain and she couldn't allow herself the luxury of indulging in EITHER Booth.

She had her back to him and failed to turn when he spoke. He called her name again. She looked up at him as if she had forgotten he was there.

He handed her the glass and motioned towards the table. "Dinner is hot. Let's eat!" She lead the way to the table but waited patiently until he returned from the kitchen with the food. Plates and silverware were already on the table, and she took her seat only after he had made his choice of chair clear. Conversation was light, He almost lead it towards deeper subjects but chickened out before the words left his mouth. He opted for safe. Parker was a safe subject. They could discuss him, his life and exploits without stepping off into something Booth knew they weren't ready to discuss. They both chuckled over the funny stories Booth shared and she smiled fondly throughout, listening attentively. Booth thought that Parker was the perfect subject.

Her face changed when he mentioned Parker's passion for education. She asked about his specific interest. Booth smiled broadly when he announced "Science." with great confidence. She looked a little uncomfortable. He thought maybe she wanted to tell him something. He felt sure he was just out of practice in reading her until she voiced it. "I saw Parker before I... after we..." She couldn't even put into words what had taken place between them. "I saw him before I shifted my focus from forensic anthropology back to pure anthropology. I couldn't bear the thought of being absent from Parker's "village" without explaining that I wasn't leaving, but wouldn't be around as much. I felt it would be best if I was clear with Parker that I had obligations that would require my attention." Booth was floored! She had talked to Parker about leaving. She hadn't spoken to him, her partner, but she had explained things to his kid? Parker hadn't ever mentioned it. Sure, he had spent less time with his son since before he left for Afghanistan but why hadn't Parker mentioned it to him? He remembered how Parker hadn't come around as much when Hannah was living there, but was he really able to keep something like that from his Dad? As quickly as she had started sharing, she stopped. She looked at her watch then stood, gathering her dishes. "Booth, this has been lovely and I enjoyed the lasagna. I must be going. I still have things to get done this evening." He stood and placed his hand on her arm. She looked back at him for the first time since she had shared her revelation. "You can't say something like that and leave, Bones. Why didn't Parker tell me you talked with him?"

"I can't speak for Parker but I would assume that it wasn't relevant to his relationship to you. Anthropologically, people Parker's age associate relationships" but she was cut off. "Don't mumbo jumbo it up, Bones! Why would you have a conversation with my son that he wouldn't tell me about? Especially one that was about me?" He was obviously becoming agitated but she wasn't quite clear why. "Because it was between Parker and me. It didn't have anything to do with you. It was about me being absent from Parker's life after having been a part of it. I didn't want him to think that I didn't care. I wanted him to know that if I was needed, I would be available. I assured him that I was not abandoning him but that I was needed more elsewhere. If he needed me, Rebecca knew that she could contact me"

"What else do I not know?" He asked. She shook her head. "I can't possibly know what you know and what you don't know, Booth. I couldn't do that when we were partners. It would be even more difficult now for me to ascertain" but again was cut off. "Did it ever occur to you to talk to me? To explain those things to me?" His eyes pleaded with her for an answer. "Booth. Our relationship boundaries were set very clearly by you the night that Hannah rejected your marriage proposal. I only complied with your demands. I don't mean to hurt you, but those are the facts." The only sound he heard was the blood rushing through his ears. He saw her lips moving but couldn't distinguish the words. He flashed back to the last time those words were spoken between them. It made him sick to his stomach when that conversation played out in his head. It was the first time he had deliberately chosen Hannah over Bones.

She was gathering her purse and coat. Snapping out of it, he made another move toward her. She thrust the ID he left at her place towards him. He took them and when he looked up again, she was standing at the door. "Thank you again for the wonderful meal." She opened the door and was out in the hall before his feet caught up to his brain. He moved forward quickly enough to hear her say "Good night" and disappear down the stairs.

Booth wasn't sure what had happened. He needed to think. Locking his door, he went to the window to watch her get in the car. She sat there for a few minutes, then pulled off into the night. His thoughts picked up after the Eames case. He had told Hannah about Bones' revelation in the rain. Hannah told Brennan that he had to tell her. With a sick feeling in his stomach, Booth replayed the scene through his head. He remembered holding his breath, waiting for Brennan to call him a hypocrite or lash out at him for betraying her confidence, their partnership. It didn't happen. She had never declared him to be the bastard that he knew he was. That was the second time he had deliberately chosen Hannah over Bones.

Brennan made it down the stairs, out the door, and into her car before she she started breathing. She needed help. Grabbing her cell phone, she dialed Angela. "May I come over?"

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Angela and Hodgins sat speechless. Brennan had arrived on the doorstep looking... something...something short of manic. Over the course of a few hours, Brennan had given them the no-holds-barred, unabridged, unedited scoop on what started prior to the partners heading off to opposite sides of the world and ended with Booth's ultimatum in the bar the night Hannah rejected his proposal. She left no detail untold. Tears tracked down even Hodgins face as she told them about her breakdown during the Eames case when Booth rejected her. Finally done, but looking so much more _undone_, Brennan allowed herself to be lead towards the guest room. Angela helped her into bed, hugged her tightly, and wished her good night. Brennan was asleep long before Angela exited room, closing the door quietly. Without speaking, Angela and Hodgins went to sleep, each clinging tightly to the other, as if they had survived that horrific disaster themselves.

Over breakfast, a better rested Brennan finished what she had started the night before. She told Jack and Angela about her regrets and the promise she made to herself. She was going to live a purposeful life without regrets after ending the partnership with Booth. The Williamsburg Project was her last big 'dig'. She had very concise plans. But the past few days with Booth was causing her to doubt herself. She wasn't sure how far in the past her past really was. She thanked them for being her friends, for listening. Brennan headed to the Jeffersonian where she had a fresh change of clothes while the Hodgins' got dressed and headed to work. They had some business to take care of.

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Entering the Lab, Cam felt some kind of disturbance in the space. Brennan was back full time today. Maybe that was it. Rounding the corner by her office, she noticed the door was open to Brennan's office but she wasn't at her desk. Leaning in to open her door, Cam was startled to see Jack and Angela waiting for her. As she greeted them, she noticed the tension. "Ok. You now have my full attention. What can I do for you?" She tried to keep it light but her gut was telling her that this was B.I.G. She shut the door and held her breath.

The door remained closed for close to 30 minutes. Interns were standing around, gathered in little clusters. They were too busy wondering what what was going on. Something obviously was. As the door opened, two very determined Hodgins (both husband and wife) and Cam exited her office. Cam nodded briefly at the couple and moved quickly towards the exit. Both Angela and Hodgins moved in the direction of their respective offices without another word. Looking for anything to keep them busy, the interns headed to the platform.

When Brennan came up from Limbo, she couldn't find Cam or Angela. A quick stop in Hodgins office revealed that Angela had run an errand and was expected back later and Cam had a meeting that would probably last a while. She headed off to the area of the museum the Williamsburg exhibit would open. She had a great deal of things to get done.

Cam arrived at the Hoover Building and approached Booth's office. She entered the room and shut the door before he had a chance to acknowledge her. Looking up to see the look on her face, he decided against greeting her. She sat without invitation. Breathing deeply, Cam spoke "We have been friends for longer than I care to remember. It's time we have a talk."

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Obviously we don't own Bones. (We don't have the authority in real life to move D.C, Sorry!) I am speaking in plural because the assistance of LABonesLover is invaluable. Thank you, my friend for your wonderful insight! She is indeed the devil in the detail. ;)


	8. Chapter 8

_a/n: this is a very long chapter for us. It's taken almost 3600 words to give Cam her say! Thanks for the reviews. LABonesLover and I enjoy the feedback!_

_Breathing deeply, Cam spoke "We have been friends for longer than I care to remember. It's time we have a talk."_

"I want to talk about relationships, Seeley. I know you are very fond of them and today... I am all about relationships." She paused long enough to gather her thoughts. She and Brennan had very few things in common but one of their common things was psychiatry. Neither of them had much time for it. Cam at least had a healthy respect for it. She felt bad using something like psychological triggers on her old friend, but didn't see another way to get him to open up. "I want to know about you and Dr. Brennan." Cam was confident, knowing Booth that this emotional trigger would work. "I want, specifically to know what you did to her that caused your friendship, your partnership to change." She didn't have to wait. He exploded! "I didn't do anything to Bones. I asked her for a chance. She turned me down. SHE SAID NO!" Straight to the emotion. She knew Booth. When he was uncomfortable or felt he was being challenged or attacked, he would get defensive and go in to attack mode.

"I asked her to give us a shot. She said NO and ran to Makapoopoo. Then, when I'm happy with my life with Hannah, Bones decides that she loves me! She picks THEN to figure out that she doesn't want to have any regrets. I'm not the bad guy here, Camille. I tried. She shot me down. I moved on. I wouldn't give her a second chance and you want me to feel like a piece of shit! This is ancient history. WHY ARE WE EVEN DISCUSSING THIS NOW?" Cam refused to look intimidated but she had never seen Booth so... disjointed. It was unnerving. "It isn't ancient history, Seeley. It is very much HEADLINE NEWS because the people who care about Brennan, your friends and family? We didn't know what happened. We knew bits and pieces but not enough to put the story together. Now we know."

Looking puzzled, Booth asked "Bones didn't tell any of you about all this? She didn't talk to anyone?" Cam shook her head. She said "None of us at the lab. We thought maybe her Dad or her brother but last night we found out that she never talked to anyone about any of it. She said that 'what's between us is ours'. She said that was your rule. As your friend, I want to understand your side, Seeley." Booth was still reeling from the knowledge that Bones was alone for that entire emotional ride. She was alone when she came home from Maluku. She was alone after the cases were closed, for the paperwork. He slammed his eyes shut when he pictured her alone after her tearful revelation in the SUV after the Eames case. Painful wasn't a big enough word to describe the feeling he was experiencing.

Knowing it would hurt; he laid the story out for her. He started with the session Sweets' office. "Sweets told me that someone had to break the stalemate. He said I was the gambler and I had to be the one to break it. I asked Bones for a shot. First she said that the FBI wouldn't let us work together. I told her that wasn't a reason. Then she said that I needed protecting from her. She said that she was the scientist; that she didn't have that kind of open heart." He stopped. Not for Cam's sake but to relive the gut wrenching scene in his head. Cam prodded him to continue. "What did you say when she said she didn't have an open heart?" "I told her that I was the guy that knew right from the beginning that she was the one I would love for 30 or 40 or 50 years." Booth dropped his head and "I told her I had to move on. I told her I had to find someone to love me." Cam sucked in a startled breath. "Did you think that Dr. Brennan _didn't_ love you? Did you tell her she didn't have to change?" She asked quietly. "I thought so, Cam but I didn't really think about it that night. I was hurt. She hurt me. I really couldn't think about anything beyond that. I never really told her 'I love you'." He hung his head, shocked and ashamed. He was beginning to realize exactly what he had done.

Needing to keep him on the road to full disclosure, she asked "What happened next?" He exhaled loudly. "I went to Afghanistan. I met Hannah. Bones didn't contact me. I never planned on Hannah coming here but she did. And she wanted me! Lauren Eames case shook something loose in Bones' head and she broke down in my car. She said that Eames' biggest regret was not giving Chris, the pilot a chance. Bones said that she regretted missing her chance. That she had made a mistake turning me down." It was all he could do to get this out. Not wanting to prolong it, he continued. "I told her the facts. I told her that I loved Hannah; Hannah wasn't a consolation prize. I dropped her off at her apartment. We didn't talk about it again. Later, I talked to Sweets. I couldn't get it out of my head. So yeah. I asked him how to handle it and he agreed that I needed to tell Hannah if I loved her and wanted things to work." Cam stopped him. "You talked to Sweets? HE told you to tell Hannah? Seeley, you told Hannah all about you and Dr. Brennan? She knew that you loved Dr. Brennan?"

Booth didn't answer. He slowly shook his head to negate her assumption. "No? What does NO mean?" His head bent down and his voice low, Booth said "I didn't tell Hannah that I loved Bones. I told her what Bones said in the car. I told her that Bones had feelings for me." If she hadn't seen his lips move, Cam would have thought that she had imagined it. "You skipped the entire story and went straight to the end? What the HELL, Seeley?"

He jumped up, defensive posturing "It wasn't the end, Camille. It wasn't the end of Bones and me! I thought Hannah deserved to know... Sweets said she deserved to know... after I told Hannah... SHE said that she deserved to know." With steely eyes, Cam said "So Sweets and Hannah felt entitled to know Dr. Brennan's deepest thoughts and you shared it. You didn't feel compelled to tell them YOUR feelings, but you felt that Dr. Brennan's feelings were open to Sweets and Hannah? You made a rule about keeping what was between you ... well... between you. But you told Sweets and Hannah?" She breathed deeply. "Did you tell Dr. Brennan that you talked to them? Did. YOU. Tell. Her?" He simply shook his head no. "So it's true that Dr. Brennan found out from Hannah?" She seemed to be mocking him. "I came here Booth, thinking that there was some kind of redeeming grace to be found. I had faith in the Booth that I used to know. I had faith in YOU. I told you a long time ago to be sure. I told you not to crack her shell if you weren't sure. Dear GOD, Seeley. What have you done? You let them play you like a puppet then blindside Brennan. Sweets/Hannah is the perfect pair. He did the setup and Hannah delivered the crushing blow. "Her eyes clouded with tears. "What have you done to Dr. Brennan... our team?"

Booth, feeling a little sickly, grasped at straws. "Cam, I just saw the team Friday night. Everything was fine! I just had dinner with Bones.. just like old times!" Even though he knew it was weak, he still wasn't giving in. He intended to have SOME defense. She wouldn't have any of it. She sat, with slumped shoulders and distress clearly etched on her face. "Booth. We didn't... no one knew... wait." She took another deep breath and started again with determination on her face. She WOULD deliver a blow and she wanted to make absolutely certain it had the force it deserved. "When Dr. Brennan requested that the interns be assigned to the FBI, we had no idea the events that lead up to it. She seemed resolved to carry out a well developed plan and had made provisions for the work to continue, under her supervision with seamless transition. She submitted a written plan that documented how the Jeffersonian would fulfill its commitment to the FBI under her supervision with a new liaison. She told me that you were aware of the plan. She preserved the team. We didn't know anything until last night after your 'dinner...just like old times' that any of this had the impact on Dr. Brennan that it did. Last night, she was... forthcoming with information to the Hodgins' that indicated that YOU initiated the plans. YOU wanted a new Liaison assigned. Once she started talking, she just regurgitated the ugly details, one by one. She said that you told her there were just some people that you can't sleep with, that it wouldn't be 'just sex' because there were too many strings. She said that YOU repeatedly drew a line between you because people in high risk jobs can't be romantically involved because it leads to dangerous situations like what happened to me during the Epps case."

Cam repositioned herself closer to Booth. "She believed you when you said that love, true love lasts forever. Dr. Brennan gave you credit for changing her views on sex by telling her about the difference between making love and having 'crappy sex'."

She continued. "Dr. Brennan gets it, though Booth. She told them just how hypocritical you are. SHE wasn't allowed to date Andrew Hacker because he was your boss but you slept with me. You were hurt when she told Hacker about the egg story but turned around and told Sweets and Hannah what Dr. Brennan confessed to you."

"She believed you when you told her that you don't have sex with people unless you are in a committed relationship with them until you fucked Hannah right after you met her. Dr. Brennan was so hurt when you agreed to let her lie to Jack and Angela to get you out of the birth announcement. You're the guy who values honesty and loyalty and she had to lie to cover for you while you were fucking Hannah! Are you seeing things the same things we are? Do you love Hannah now for 30 or 40 years, Booth? Second Chance Hannah! How did she earn another chance? Didn't she turn you down? Your partner damn sure didn't get another one!"

Booth was fighting to retain his friendship. He started "The night Hannah turned down my marriage proposal, I was angry with Bones. I told Bones to essentially shut up and drink or get a new partner. She chose the new partner. I can't help that she couldn't handle working with me as nothing more than a partner." Cam snorted and responded, leaning dangerously close to him across the desk "You unmitigated ass. She worked with you for MONTHS as nothing more than your associate. Why would she have a problem being your partner? You rubbed your new life in her face every chance you got and Dr. Brennan stood by you and took it! Your girlfriend needed help and Brennan saved her life. How did Hannah repay her kindness? She jacked her shades! But when the self professed 'nomad' gets itchy feet, you punish Brennan more? Brennan's the one that gets the ultimatum?"

Cam stood to leave. "I can't be near you right now, Seeley. You understand? I don't know who you are and what you've become. I hope that you are truly happy. Your pursuit of happiness has destroyed our team. I want so badly to..." She stopped. "Do you love Hannah?" Not knowing why his twice failed relationship was even remotely relevant, Booth responded. "I thought I did. I honest-to-God thought I did." She grimaced. "Do you think it was worth it, Booth? Spitting in Dr. Brennan's face when she told you that she regretted turning you down? Subjecting her to Hannah and Sweets, knowing that they knew how she was suffering? SWEETS! Oh MY! I almost forgot about Sweets! He must have been whacking off in his office over what you told him..." Her smile was anything but genuine and happy. "That little fuck must have really had some fun with this. He got another opportunity to experiment with Dr. Brennan; as if she was a lab rat.. How can you justify" but Booth cut her off.

"You aren't making any sense, Camille. What are you talking about?" Booth wasn't able to follow her thoughts and seemed to be getting annoyed trying. "Dr. Sweets deliberately never told Dr. Brennan that you weren't dead after Fat Pam shot you. He had your list. He wanted to study her reaction to your death. He watched her closely, suffering. Dr. Brennan discovered it and threatened him. She told him that next time she would tell YOU so you could deal with him. How ironic! She thought that YOU would prevent any further experiments. Instead, you facilitated it! I bet he just couldn't help himself. Daisy told Dr. Brennan that you were going to the Army after you told Sweets but _before_ you told Dr. Brennan. I wonder if that was some kind of experiment too... Oh Booth. Oh..." She was lost. His head was swimming. "Sweets had my list? He didn't tell Bones... on purpose?" Anger was rising up the back of his neck. "Sweets did it so he could study her reaction? He manipulated what I told him about the offer from the Army?"

Cam nodded slowly. She never sat back down. She really needed to get away from Booth but couldn't bring herself to leave before he got it. "Sure, Booth. The woman that stood by you...Do you remember when you had your tumor removed? As a clinician, I can assure you that Dr. Brennan entered that room knowing that you would be as close to death as possible so that your body would be able to recover _after_ surgery to the best of its ability. YOU asked her to go in with you. She knew, Booth. She knew that with one slight miscalculation or tremor and your life would have been over. She subjected herself to that pain... that inconceivable pain not because of logic, or rationale but because you asked her. She did that for you. She didn't even consider taking the Maluku project until she talked to you. Did you give her the same courtesy? No. You accepted the job with the Army without talking to her AND before she accepted Maluku. Sweets, with a little help from Daisy manipulated that situation. Sweets was pulling the strings all along; he didn't tell Brennan you weren't dead, your MRI scans after your coma meant you didn't love Dr. Brennan, telling you to gamble your partnership knowing she wouldn't 'gamble', and even your sabbatical from each other. Then you followed Sweets advice and betrayed YOUR fundamental rule of partnership, 'What's between us is ours' and told Hannah? Dear GOD~ is Old Booth even in there anymore? Is there any sign of our Booth inside that head of yours? _ How could you?"_

Booth sat deadly still. He wasn't even able to breathe without conscious effort. How could he, indeed?! Was that even the way things really went down? He felt sick.

Cam, torn between storming out and committing murder continued without looking at Booth. "Seeley, When was the last time you saw Parker?" He walked right in to the ambush. A rookie mistake that he never saw coming. "He hasn't been around as much since he hit the teen years, Cam. He's busy. I see him every month." Shocked didn't even start to describe her reaction. "You rarely had him while you lived with Hannah but now you're telling me you've only seen Parker 6 or 7 times since you and Hannah split? Parker used to be your number one priority! First you haven't seen Brennan or your friends, and then you only see Parker on average 12 times a year?" She was visibly restraining her hands. She had the itch of someone desperate to strike another. "Brennan gets NO second chance and loses her best friend, Parker loses his Dad except a few days a month but HANNAH gets a do-over AND a few years? What is that? Do you remember when I first told you about my reservations with Paul? He was always too busy to date. I asked you "How many chances does he get. You said NINE. You told me that if I thought he was the one not to let him get away. Did Brennan get more than one 'shot'? Did you let her get away? What about Parker? Does he get to reclaim his lost time with you?"

"Cam, you're taking that all out of context" but she stopped him cold. "Don't tell me I'm taking it out of context. That's a political answer. You are-SCRATCH THAT-YOU USED TO NOT BE POLITICAL. Now? Now I don't know what you are. You are worse than the gambler. Your an abandon-er. You cast aside those that you 'LOVE' in favor of a quick piece of ass. I know things, Seeley. Friday night I said I probably didn't want to know what had happened between you and Dr. Brennan. It's like a train wreck. You don't want to sift through the wreckage but you think that someone you care about might be tangled up in it. I wish I had known this..." She started pacing wildly. "Maybe I could have salvaged my team. Brennan might have opened up to me. I could have done... something."

"So you think I have no right to be happy, Camille? I was supposed to just wait around for her to decide she was ready?" She screamed "Yes! If you really loved her and she was the 'one' then you were!" Feeling every bit exhausted he said "Why can't I be happy?" He was trying to gain the advantage but she shot him back down. "I don't know, Seeley. Are you happy? Do you enjoy your mediocre job? Quality time with your kid? A partnership? How is that working out for you? I'm not as oblivious as you might think, Booth. I KNOW that you haven't caught a good case since your partnership ended. I KNOW that even after you and Hannah got back together she STILL wasn't the marrying kind. Seeley really! Everything you taught Brennan was a lie! You told her about making love. Did you have a connection with Hannah before she locked her lips around your dick under the fig tree? She was all about the bedroom Seeley, good time Hannah! And you gave her a second chance! Even when she told you she wasn't the marrying kind! You threw away everything you had…everything you were… to sooth your bruised ego and wounded pride and a quick piece of ass. How fucking stupid are you?"

"I am leaving, Booth. My next stop is the Deputy Director Cullen. You will be removed from the Jeffersonian Liaison rotation effective immediately. My team will not work with you. Get your shit together. Your access card to the lab has been revoked as well as your ability to pass the security desk. I would like to say that this is temporary but I will leave that up to you. I had to choose between my team and my friend. I'm sorry to say that I can't find my friend right now. If you see him... tell him his 'family' misses him."

She was barely out the door when he turned and emptied his stomach contents into the trash can. When he was able to sit up, he reached for and dialed the phone. "Becs. I need you."

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Cam met Angela at the elevator bank. She physically blocked the artist from heading towards Booth's office. "We need to talk, Angela. Just come with me to see Director Cullen and I'll fill you in." The artist nodded silently and returned to the elevator. Together, they went up.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/n: Thanks for all the reviews! For anyone who feels that this story is about Booth-bashing, please have faith. Neither LABonesLover nor I hate the character. Have Faith. ;) There is so much responsibility to be claimed for behaviors by so many characters in season 6. This story is about growth. It's about taking responsibility. LABonesLover and I are hopeful that we can bring the characters to a place where their present makes more sense because we know the past. Thank you so much for reading!  
_

Cullen left his office after seeing the ladies out of his office. He was headed to meet with Booth but came across Sweets in the hallway. "I was on my way to see someone else but I need you as well. Wait in my office. The door is open and you can sit for a few minutes. I will be there shortly." Not giving Sweets enough time for questions, Cullen proceeded to Booth's it empty, he turned to the bullpen. "Where is Booth?" Charlie answered that Booth had left just minutes ago and offered to call his cell for the Deputy Director. "No, thank you. Have him see me when he returns." With that, he turned on his heels and headed back to deal with the Psychologist. Entering his office, he slammed the door shut behind him. It was loud enough to cause Sweets to jump with a start.

X)X)X)X)X)X)X

Booth made his way to the Royal Diner to meet Rebecca. He had so many questions after his 'talk' with Cam. Parker questions. He opened the door to see her sitting in the very back. Nodding to the waitress and ordering coffee, he headed for the table. "Thanks for meeting me so soon, Rebecca." She nodded. "I wasn't really getting anything done at the office, Seeley, so I had some time. You said you wanted to talk to me... and MAN! You look like crap!" She went straight to business.

He took a deep, cleansing breath and looked her in the eyes. "It's been a rough couple of days. Have I changed? What kind of Father am I? Am I still a good Father to our son?" After a pregnant pause, Rebecca could see that she wasn't going to get any more information from him yet. "You're an average dad, Seeley. Why are you asking me THIS _now_?" He didn't hear much past 'you're a dad'. Average. Not anything special.

"Average, huh? You don't think I'm a good Dad? You can't say that I'm a GREAT Dad?" Booth fumed at Rebecca. She breathed out, puffing her cheeks in the effort. "Tell me what's going on, Seeley. Even though I'm not busy, I really don't want to spend all day playing 20 questions with your ego."

Squaring his back, Booth said "I have been told I have changed and it's been suggested that my relationship with Parker has... suffered as well. I know we haven't been together as much since he hit the teen years but... that's natural, right?" Looking closely at him, Rebecca responded "Seeley, this is the time in his life when he needs his father the most. The truth is that you USED to be THAT Dad! The one who was always easy to talk to; spend time with. The last few years, I would rate you as a part-time father, at best. You were gone for 7 months. When you returned, you had Hannah in tow and things changed. Before you left, your time was spent with Parker. After you got back, your time had to be either split between Parker and Hannah or blended with the both of them. Kids don't adapt that quickly. Parker didn't adapt and started making excuses to spend less time with YOU _with HANNAH_. You just didn't seem to notice that he wasn't blending into your new relationship. He gradually stopped trying to blend and just killed time while he was with you."

Booth's anger flared. "You didn't think to speak up? You realized how he was feeling; that he was making excuses not spending time with me and you didn't talk to me?" He was going to continue but Rebecca shut him down as quickly as he started. "Don't blame this on me, Seeley! I have no say in how you run YOUR life. If your relationship with Parker changed, it wasn't because I made any of the changes!" She was gathering her purse and keys to leave but Booth reached out and touched her arm.

He looked at her pleadingly. "Please don't go. I'm sorry. Please, Becs, just talk to me. I'm not liking what I'm seeing, OR hearing lately and I need help. Talk to me?"

"You want to talk? OK. You and I? We don't have that kind of relationship. We don't co-parent like that. As far as talking to you about it? When was I supposed to do that, Seeley? How many times have you and I had that argument about Parker? Look. I don't want to fight with you but I did nothing wrong. I didn't realize that Parker was pulling away from you until it had already happened. He got used to not having you around while you were in Afghanistan and when you got back... things were different. New relationships are great... everyone deserves to have them...even _you_ but when you have kids... it's harder. I'm not saying that you love Parker any less, or that he was less important to you. I_ am_ saying that Parker, most kids, need some real reminders of how important they are to us, especially when we share our time with new people under new circumstances."

Rebecca continued with Booth's full attention. "You make your decisions your way, and I make mine. The difference is that I always have to make my choices based on what was best for me AND Parker. For instance, Parker and I talked quite a bit about Brent when we were just dating. We discussed the things changing as the relationship became more serious. We talked about how Parker felt and THEN decided it was OK to ask Brent to move in. But you... You never even told Parker you were dating Hannah, much less that the relationship was serious enough that were living with her. You didn't talk to him about how he felt... you just moved Hannah in before he knew about her or even met her. I don't want to imply that I am right and you're wrong... I'm just telling you how I see it."

Booth thought for a moment before proceeding. "Is that how you see it ? Do _you_ think I traded Parker for Hannah?" She shook her head. " I know that Parker is important to you. I wasn't being fair when I said that you were 'just average Dad'. I'm not comparing you to those guys who don't support their kids or spend ANY time with them. Even lately, you're better than that AND I want you to know that you deserve to love someone... to have them love you AND have a healthy relationship with your son. It takes hard work, though. It just isn't as easy as it seems sometimes" Booth couldn't agree more. A war zone had proven to be easier to maneuver than his personal life lately. At least when something blew up in a war zone, it was over. Booth felt like he just had hit one landmine after another for the last two days. It wasn't lost on him that she never really answered his question. Even in the best of times, his relationship with her wasn't exactly known for it's open communication. "So what happens now?" He wanted to know how receptive his child's mother was to helping him straighten out this mess.

Rebecca smiled sadly at him. "That's up to you." He said "I want to fix it but I don't know where to start." She was hoping that he felt that way. "Talk to him, Seeley. You talked to him before you went to Afghanistan. You talked about how he felt, what he was thinking. Try starting there. You are probably going to have some serious subject matters to cover. He has very passionate opinions about things that may be painful for you. You still need to hear them. He was more than a little shocked when he came home and told me that you 'dumped' Dr. Brennan and got a 'new girl'. Parker might not be over it yet. I always knew that you and Parker called Brent 'Captain Fantastic' and it annoyed me, but the night Parker told me about 'Hannah Afghana', I must admit I saw some of the merits of those nicknames! Brent even laughed at it!" Booth smiled halfheartedly at the childish moniker. His time with Hannah was still a raw wound. He wasn't as upset at the demise of the relationship as he was for it to be so damned obvious that he had screwed up. Everything connected to that relationship had been screwed up. Talking to Rebecca just proved that even his relationship with his_ son_ had suffered. He wanted to know how much of his son's trust he had lost. Rebecca smiled encouragingly and said "It would have been so much worse if Dr. Brennan hadn't been so diligent about their friendship. Parker definitely would have held a grudge if he had lost her, Max and the rest of the 'squints'."

For not the first time today, Booth was stunned. "Bones? She and Parker? What do you mean?" He was floored to think that Parker and Bones had been in contact. How had he missed that? Rebecca simply said "The enrichment program at the Jeffersonian." Booth didn't understand. "When did he rejoin that?" Rebecca said "He didn't rejoin. He never left. He missed Dr. Brennan while she was in Indonesia but Max was great while she was gone. The rest of the team really helped him by spending time with him when they got back. Brent and I noticed an improvement over the years with Parker's grades in school. We attributed it to the enrichment. Dr. Brennan, her Father and the rest of the team told us they were Parker's 'village', his family. They have been great with him."

Booth was reeling from the news. "Why didn't he tell me?" Rebecca shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows, Seeley. Maybe he thought you would have a problem with it. Maybe he was respecting the unspoken rule about not talking about Dr. Brennan, period, much less around Hannah. The good news is that he cared enough about YOU to not allow that to become a problem between you and Hannah. He should have shared with you, but listen to him when he tells you why he didn't. You might be surprised at how much he really does love you."

Booth finally spoke up. "I want to make things right. Parker is my first priority. I mean that. I've always meant that. I have to fix this, Becs." She smiled and visibly relaxed. "I'm happy to hear that, Seeley. We made a great kid. But we're going to have to have more than just lip service from you to prove it. Parker is... used to your relationship and to be honest; I don't think he totally trusts you right now. He is almost 14 but he's pretty bright. If you want to have more with him, you're going to have to work for it. I'm not saying I won't _let _you see him. I am saying I _won't_ let you hurt him, again. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Take it slow, rebuild your relationship and regain his trust. Talk to him."

Almost choked, Booth thanked the mother of his child as he kissed her cheek. He knew that they had come a long way from the days he had to beg to see Parker. He knew she was giving him a second chance with their son and he was determined not to screw this up.

X)X)X)X)X)X)X

His step was lighter on the way back to the Hoover. Charlie stopped him in the hallway. "Cullen is looking for you." Booth nodded and headed toward the superior's office. On the way, he saw Sweets in the hall and decided to make an appointment to _chat_ with him about Cam's revelation. Sweets blank look clued him in that something was off. "The Jeffersonian has had me removed from any and all cases they are involved in. Deputy Director Cullen has suspended me until the review board has investigated the complaint." Booth could barely process Sweets' news before the shrink turned to retrieve his belongings from his office. Without a word, Booth turned and continued to the Deputy Director's office.

He didn't have a chance to sit before being ushered in to the inner office. Cullen was sitting, waiting for the agent to be seated and the door shut behind the receptionist. Cullen said "Do you have any idea why you're here, Booth?" He nodded slowly. "Dr. Saroyan spoke to me this morning and I just saw Dr. Sweets in the hallway." Sam Cullen was no idiot. He recognized a great agent when he saw one. The only problem was that the once GREAT Special Agent in Charge hadn't been so great since his return from Afghanistan. Cullen was undeniably fond of Booth. He respected him as well, but that only went so far.

Although he was concerned about the agent's level of performance for the last 3 years, he was more concerned on a personal level for the younger agent. Cullen proceeded carefully. "Of course, I knew that you and Dr. Brennan were no longer working together and you requested to be removed as the permanent liaison to the Jeffersonian, but I didn't know there was a problem until Dr. Saroyan and Mrs. Montenegro-Hodgins met with me this morning. Apparently, by unanimous decision, the squint squad has flatly refused to work with you and Sweets and threatened to stop working with the FBI all together if the two of you continue to work cases in which they are assisting."

"My first concern is for the integrity of the agency. What the hell is going on, Booth?" Booth exhaled loudly and put his hands together up to his face. "Sir, I really don't know what's going on. I've just been told there is a problem. I'm trying to get to the bottom of this but right now... I don't know. Can I use personal time to figure it out? Maybe a week or two?" Cullen said nothing but nodded in agreement. "It's settled. I will be off for up to 2 weeks. I assure you, sir, it won't be a problem when I return."

Booth stared straight ahead as he left Cullen's office. He walked in to his own office, collected some personal items and changed his auto-reply message on his email and voice mail. He decided to clear his head. He needed _time and space. _He left his car in the parking garage and walked.

A very wise woman had once told him that it would take three days for the universe to turn right side up. Booth was drawing near to the end of three days since he first saw her. He prayed that the end of the third day came quickly and his universe would be righted. Before he knew it, he stood at the reflecting pool. He laughed at the irony. Reflection was what he needed.


	10. Chapter 10

The same notice applies~ We don't own Bones.

Sorry for the lengthy absence. Life has a way of distracting us. It was never my intention to take this long to write this. LABonesLover has been more than diligent in prodding me AND her contributions have been timely. I feel badly simply because your response to the story has been awesome. We appreciate each and every reader and review. Real life has thrown both LABonesLover and I for a loop but the fault likes squarely on my doorstep. Please accept my apologies.

X)X)X)X)X)X)X)X)X)X)X

At home now, he pulled open the fridge and removed a beer. He flopped on the sofa and rested his feet on the coffee table. Peace wasn't coming easily, but Booth was beginning to believe that the end to the 3 days for his universe to right itself might come after all. It saddened him to think of Brennan alone. Alone for all the events that had plagued them since returning from their overseas sabbaticals. It saddened him to think of her alone... _feeling_ alone... even if it wasn't the case. Angela, Cam, Hodgins... even the squints were there for her. Max, Russ... there were so many people who cared about her, despite the difficulty. People she didn't even know who cared. Caroline Julian had practically made his tumor come back by smacking him upside the head so many times after the end of the partnership. She had gone far enough to hold Booth solely responsible for it's untimely end. It was something he and Caroline had in common, right now. When it all started? No. He didn't feel any responsibility. He just wanted to make a point. He wanted Brennan to see that he had 'moved on'. Somehow though, he got too caught up it in... it had gotten out of control. Before he knew what was happening, he had lost ALL control! The situation had spiraled out so fast he hadn't known what hit him. Damn it... she was supposed to see that he wasn't going to sit around waiting for another 5 years!

Booth's phone rang... without checking the ID, he picked it up. "Heya, soldier!" Inwardly cringing at her familiar line, Booth sighed at the voice of his former lover. Just that fast, an idea flashed though his head! Without time to think it through, Booth bulldozed ahead. "Hannah! How are you? I was just thinking about giving you a call!" She seemed a little surprised to hear him say it, was having a hard time believing it was true but glad non the less to have him say it, all at the same time. "I'm great, Seeley! I was coming back to the states for a few weeks and wondered if your still my for-a-good-time-call-guy!" She laughed at her own wittiness and didn't seem to get her slip of the tongue. He really wasn't interested in being a 'booty call.' Gritting his teeth, he decided to pick Hannah for all the information he could get. "Actually, Hannah... I CAN'T be you 'Call Guy'... I was... I want ... I really need to talk to you... about Bones." He sounded so serious that Hannah made a startled sound and rushed him for information. "Temperance? What's wrong with her? What happened? I just talked to her a few weeks ago! Is she ok?"

Booth, for not the first time recently was taken aback. "What do you mean you talked to her a few weeks ago!" Hannah wouldn't be distracted from the details. "Seeley, TELL ME WHAT'S HAPPENED!" Booth took a deep breath and gave Hannah the short version of the last few days. Clearly, Hannah wasn't impressed. She sounded confused as she pushed him for more info. "What the hell, Seeley? You sounded like something had happened to her! Why are you asking me about Temperance if there is nothing wrong with her? My friendship with her isn't any of your business but I will tell you that we speak at least every couple of months and have for years! She seems good. Now what exactly is it that you want to know? I'm not saying I'll share what I know but..."

He was angry... seeing RED angry. "I gave up my best friend because of you and you... kept... in... touch...with...her. What kind of game were you playing with me?" Hannah wasn't going to be reprimanded by Seeley just because HE screwed up his relationship with Temperance. She waited as he ranted without paying too much attention to his words. She was caught up in the memories of the last few years... how important Booth and Temperance were to each other... how very personal their work was between them... how dedicated their 'family' was to them. She remembered the day it just stopped. Hannah said NO when he asked her to marry him. She left for a few months but knew that it wasn't the end of them yet. When she returned, Booth had welcomed her with open arms. He totally dedicated his time and energy to being Hannah's man.

It had been intoxicating at first. She had loved it! A very big part of her couldn't help but be thrilled to have 'taken' Booth from Temperance. Obviously, Hannah considered herself the better person for him. As time passed, however, things changed. It wasn't as much fun being saddled with a boyfriend if the woman you beat for his affection wasn't there to see it, right? He had too much time and attention for her. That's about the time that Hannah had first made contact with Brennan.

She snapped out of her walk down memory lane and had lost all interest in the ramblings of Seeley. "Look Seeley! Is there something I can do for you? You don't seem to need me for this conversation so if there is nothing else, I'll have to let you get back to it." Booth stopped in his tracks. "Tell me something, Hannah. You've been talking to Bones for years and you never told me. Why is that? What made her get in touch with you when she wasn't in touch with me?"

Hannah's interest was piqued. This might just be juicier than she had originally thought. "She never called me, Seeley. I didn't mean to give you that impression. I actually called her after you and I got back together. I've kept in touch with her all this time because I really find it a kick to be friends with her. I guess I never mentioned it to you because I was really glad to have her out of OUR way but that never meant that I wanted her out of MY way."

Booth thought for a second. "That doesn't make sense, Hannah." Booth was smelling a rat. He moved into interrogation mode. "Why did you call her? What made you build a friendship with Bones? You didn't want to get married, so Bones wasn't in 'our' way. Don't waste any time on the bullshit version, either. I know your 'official statement' crap when I hear it." Hannah recognized the accusatory tone in Booth's voice. He had used it frequently until Brennan had skipped out. She hadn't heard that voice in long enough that it went straight through her. Anger lit her up. "I wanted to remind her, Seeley that YOU. CHOSE. ME. I knew she would be my friend to keep some line open with you and I wanted her to know that I WON! You put me in second... scratch that... THIRD place behind Parker and Temperance for so long that I wasn't going to NOT make her acknowledge that I TOOK FIRST PLACE! There has been no animosity between us. Temperance and I were able to be friends once she got it through her head that you didn't want her. We are a lot alike in that we both love the competition. You know... 'The THRILL of Victory... and the AGONY of Defeat!" She said in her best announcer voice. "Temperance had to respect the fact that I won!" Her stunning revelation made Booth shake his head... he needed help straightening out his thoughts. Where he stood, Hannah had been second to NO ONE. He sacrificed his time with Brennan, his time with Parker... he hadn't spent any significant time with anyone at all after Hannah had returned. How did she figure she was third place?

The phone felt like lead in his hand. Booth had brought Hannah into his life... Parker's ... Bones... the squints. Oh Dear God! What had he done? What had his screwed up attempt at 'moving on' done to the people he cared about? He shook his head as he realized that Hannah was still hanging on the line. His voice was low but clear. "I hope that you find what you want, Hannah. I hope that you find happiness. I want to bury the Seeley that you knew and loved... I want to bury him so deep that he never shows up again. I AM going to purge myself of everything ugly and horrible that was associated with that guy. I abandoned my friends... my family... in pursuit of happiness... undercover as the Seeley you thought you loved." Hannah took some offense at being referred to as something ugly... horrible but she didn't feel it was a good time to interrupt him so she just let him go on...

Thinking back, she really hadn't started out in competition with Temperance. Hannah had tried. God KNOWS she tried to be that woman's friend! Seeley had NEVER appreciated... no. Seeley never NOTICED how hard she tried! He was so busy... 'Bones this... blah blah blah... Bones that...' As recently as this week, Hannah had been thinking that Booth was worth the trip back to DC for some hot fun... she couldn't believe how stupid she was! This man was STILL hung up on his partner! After all this time! OH. My. GOD! Hannah had been mistaken! She hadn't really won at all! She hadn't even PLACED in the competition! She NEVER had a chance! He was taken before Hannah even showed up on the radar! Looking back, she really wondered if she ever even WAS on the radar! Trying quickly to hide her disbelief at her own stupidity, Hannah tuned back in to Booth.

"We never saw each other as what we really are, you know? I never saw you as manipulative and conniving; you never saw me as a man in love with his partner." With those words, Booth ended the call. He wanted to think. Without Cam. Without Rebecca. Without Hannah. His intention was to step outside for fresh air. As the door was pulled open, Booth was eyeball to eyeball with The Original Texas Tornado. A feeling of cold/sour was born in his gut. Angela Montenagro-Hodgins was standing in the doorway, waiting to have her say.

X)X)X)X)X)X)X)X)X)X

Booth wordlessly stepped back to allow her to enter the apartment. She didn't wait until the door stopped moving to throw herself in his general direction. Her hands were flying and flailing at a rate that might have looked comical if it wasn't directed at him. Acting quickly to try to avoid any direct blows, Booth leaned far to the left of her assault. She was able to get several good swipes in with her nails across his cheek. In her frustration, Angela stumbled forward dislodging the heel to her very high, very dangerous looking Jimmy Choo. Reaching quickly to grab the shoe, Angela wielded it as a weapon and Booth realized the situation was deteriorating quickly. With the weakened heel still intact, Angela had something handy that could quickly put his eye out. Booth was trying to avoid the blows, make her hear him, and take the violence out of the onslaught. He grabbed the shoe and threw it over his shoulder, hearing it land in the vacant living room.

Pulling her towards him to further limit the strike zone, he unconsciously put her within arms reach of an umbrella stand which proved to be an arsenal of new weapons she would use to alternate between bashing and impaling him. She was grunting vows of hatred, threats, lots of very uncharacteristically filthy words... but he had a pretty good idea what had brought her here. After Cam's revelation to him that Brennan hadn't confided in any of them 2 years ago, he had assumed that sooner or later, Angela would have her say. Being willing to let her speak her mind was one thing, but Booth wasn't going to allow this to go on any further.

Perspiration was starting to cover his face and the newly acquired scratches stung! Spinning her back to him, Booth pulled her close and disarmed her of the umbrella. He lead her further into his apartment in hopes of preventing the neighbors from being alerted to the attack. She was able to twist around to her right, reacting with kicks to his legs and a particularly nasty swipe with her hand to his face. He was DONE!~Booth roughly grabbed her hand and shoved it aside as he moved in to her personal space.

Growling towards her, Booth said "What the FUCK is wrong with you, Angela?" As if waiting for the magic question, Angela unleashed on him. "You bastard! You unbelievably stupid, self centered BASTARD! Do you have ANY IDEA how MUCH I HATE YOU RIGHT NOW? Do you have any idea how bad YOU SUCK? And you want to know what's wrong with me? How about 'you ditched our baby announcement to fuck Hannah? You remember Hannah? The SO-REALLY-WAS A CONSOLATION PRIZE!? The same one who STILL WOULDN'T MARRY YOU? You left Hodgins, on his big announcement night to screw someone, you knew for two minutes, who ended up LEAVING YOU, not once but twice! Oh my God ! The IRONY!" She went to swing on him again but Booth wasn't having any of it! He sidestepped her advance and came back at her. His voice was low and menacing. "You should know a lot about that, Angela! Wendall, wasn't it? Maybe we aren't so different. We BOTH left Hodgins to get LAID!"

She didn't physically react to his words. She verbally went for him, in no uncertain words but much less... loudly. "Don't you dare compare yourself to me! Hodgins and I AGREED we weren't together... You were fucking that blonde bimbo out of spite! A BLIND man could have seen it! You couldn't have Brennan so you settled for that cheapened up, bleach blonde wanna be so you could feel better about yourself! Some man you are! You! Teaching Brennan about 'LOVE'! Ridiculous!" She spat. Taking a quick breath, she continued. "The kind of 'love' you know is worse than some flesh eating virus! It just eats away, painful inch by painful inch leaving nothing but scars, scabs and gaping wounds in it's path! WE loved you! We stood by you! AND!... you had the nerve to show BOTH your faces to us after what you did? How DARE YOU?!"

She wasn't showing any sign of letting up and frankly, Booth was a little stunned by the stamina that her hatred held! "She honored your ridiculous ultimatum, honored YOUR wishes... you make me sick! I can barely stand to see your face!"Seeing an opportunity, Booth jumped in. "You came HERE, Angela! If it's so hard to see me, why did you come? I didn't ask you here... I didn't bring this all up... this whole fucked up ..." throwing his arms wide " THING is on you! You are talking out of both sides of your FACE... and you don't even know what you're talking about! You think I SUCK? Hello Pot! Kettle calling! You don't know anything about what happened EXCEPT what Bones' told you! Stick your NOSE!" punctuated by a finger point "BACK! IN! YOUR! BUSINESS! I've heard all this from Cam..."

Angela's eyes narrowed in on her target. "Don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. Bren. Doesn't. Lie. She remembers every stupid word that has EVER come out of your stupid mouth! You brought that woman up here and shoved her in Bren's face! Brennan would have done anything for you! Hell! She DID everything for you! Your 'girlfriend' got hurt and Brennan ran to save her life for YOU! How did Brennan get repaid? The BITCH took her sunglasses! You LET her! YOU drew lines. YOU set 'rules' for Brennan... you avoided her, emotionally abandoned her, disrespected her and treated her like she wasn't a person with emotions... in fact, you looked at her like strangers do, like she is just some cold-hearted fish with no feelings at all... and for WHAT? What did it get you, Booth? Are you proud of yourself, are you HAPPY NOW? ARE YOU LIVING YOUR DREAM?"

Booth stepped back. He was suddenly feeling every bit of the weariness that had plagued him earlier. "What do you want from me, Angela? You want 'I'm sorry'? Fine. I'm sorry. Now are YOU happy? See... nothing changed! I said it... but it's still all FUCKED UP! You achieved nothing! I don't have any answers for you EXCEPT, BONES SAID NO! I TRIED to move on! I TRIED to stay friends with her. No matter what I do, or did... I came out the bad guy!" He crossed his arms and stood... waiting for her to digest what he said. She didn't give any sign that she heard him, but she wasn't done... not by a long shot. "This isn't about moving on... This is about destroying everything with your wake! You... when you 'left'... you 'left' all of us! Not just Bren! You didn't go to our baby announcement so you could have sex? What were you... in high school? Still she, in fact ALL of us supported you. She still thought of you as her best friend. She still trusted you. She tore down her walls and let you in when she opened up to you and told you how she was feeling. She didn't ask anything from you in return. She didn't ask you to leave Hannah, did she? No, she just told her best friend how she was feeling, not expecting anything in return! And what did you do? You shoved Hannah in her face again. You used your knowledge of Bren to HURT HER by telling her FACTS! You LOVED Hannah, she wasn't a CONSOLATION PRIZE. What a crock! Then you watched her completely break down. Something she NEVER does! You just ask her who you call. SHE WAS ALONE! You failed her! The man I knew would have helped her himself or least would have called me instead of leaving her ALONE... broken and sobbing. What kind of human being, much less a supposed "best friend" would do that?! A complete selfish bastard is who! THEN ... then, you broke your own rule and betrayed her, something you swore you would never do! You, who became upset because she told Hacker about your mother's meatloaf, had the GALL to tell not only Sweets but Hannah about her feelings for you!" Angela breathed deeply and lowered her voice... something that scared Booth more than her yelling.

"Talk about being a hypocrite. You define the word. And I bet you didn't even tell them the whole story of you two. I bet you didn't have the BALLS to tell Hannah that you loved Bren and asked her "for a chance". No you just put it all on Bren, just her feelings, nothing of yours. What, Booth, trying to make yourself look good in front of your girlfriend? You're pathetic! But the worst... the WORST of everything I just heard is that you... after choosing Hannah, and getting pissed off because she didn't give you want you wanted when you wanted it ...you gave Brennan that ultimatum! You threw away six years of friendship, of love and family! In fact, you threw all of us away! You didn't have the balls to actually tell Bren you loved her, you threw her away and you wouldn't give her a second chance. But you owed it to Hannah... someone you BARELY knew, to give it everything you had to give her a second chance! If I had known all of this back then... I think I could have killed you! An ultimatum? From YOU? To Bren?" She was starting to show signs of losing momentum... but Booth was afraid to let his guard down.

He added a little extra space between them, just to be safe. Artistic people like Angela could be volatile and he had very little left to ward her off. "Angela, I was wrong to blow off the baby announcement, OK? I really am sorry. The other stuff? That is not about anybody else. Bones and I have an arrangement that what's between us, is ours. I had no idea she didn't talk to anyone. I didn't know she was alone. Trust me. I ... she... it's just screwed up! I don't know how to fix it... I don't know what to do..." His voice tapered off and his face reflected little more than pure confusion.

Angela had gotten a second (or third) wind. "You think this is about you and Bren? Do you _REALLY _think I came here just about Brennan? You are so much less intelligent than I thought! You. PLAYED. Us. ALL.! You came to the fundraiser Friday night... talking your SHIT about how good we were to you... standing by you. How you didn't _deserve_ us! That was Academy Award quality BULLSHIT! Hodgins thought you were his friend. Cam DEFENDED you and your 'right' to be happy! I trusted you." She moved back and started to compose herself, pulling her clothes straight, smoothing her hair... "Rest assured. We will not make those mistakes again."

Angela was gathering her dignity and trying to reduce her accelerated breath. "It would be ill-advised for you to try to contact Hodgins or I. I can't speak for Bren, YET... but you can be sure that I will do everything I can to convince her that you are a lying sac of pus and as full of SHIT as you really are!" Booth reached out to Angela but the look on her face made him think twice. He spoke softly. "Ang..." She was making her way to leave but stopped abruptly and turned. "I have my own people... people who wouldn't like you and how you're acting right now. Don't make me call them." He watched her walk through the door and out of his sight.

Walking to the door and shutting it firmly behind the retreating Angela, Booth allowed his weight to collapse against it. He ran his hands through his hair and down the back of his neck. Any hope that he had felt prior to Angela's intrusion was not to be found. He pulled a beer from the fridge but returned it back to the shelf. It was going to take something stronger than a beer to numb him up this time. Retrieving the scotch from above the glasses, Booth took himself back to the sofa and flopped.

The feelings he experienced from Angela's words... Hannah's words... were overwhelming. He hadn't spent much time the last few years thinking about the impact of his actions. Sure... he had given some thought to Bones' reactions... had relished in the victory he thought he had won in the power struggle between them, but he hadn't given any thought to the feelings of the others. Cam. Hodgins. Angela. They weren't meant to be any kind of collateral damage. He didn't think about their exposure to the fallout. The most pronounced emotion was true sadness.

Leaning back, he let his mind wander back... back to the beginning of what he now perceived to be 'the end'. He had returned home from Afghanistan. Bones met him at the coffee cart. She looked a little different... hugged him a little longer than usual... At the time, he just chalked it up to fatigue. The trip was probably long and she had a lot to get done after being gone so long. Flashing forward, he thought about Bones meeting Hannah. He had been so surprised that Hannah had actually come to D.C. that he really didn't see much of Bones. Hannah and Bones had formed a friendship. Hannah got shot. OK. The sunglasses thing was just stupid. He _still _didn't get why Hannah had done that. Getting up and going to the bedroom, he pulled open the drawer. As stupid as Hannah's stunt was, Booth was curious why _he_ still had the glasses. He would concede one point to Angela. Hannah was wrong to take Bones' very expensive sunglasses.

Flashing forward again, Booth thought about the baby announcement. Without consideration, he chalked another point up to Angela. He was a dick for skipping out on Hodgins' moment. Setting aside the scorecard with Angela, Booth leaned back on to his bed and put his hands behind his head with the shades resting on his chest. The Eames case had been tough on Bones. He tried to figure it all out... be there for her. There was too much going on the be looking for more to keep up with. THAT'S what he told himself at the time. He remembered her heart crushing breakdown in the SUV. He didn't share with either Cam or Angela how hard that was on him as well. He knew it messed Brennan up. It had all been part of a terrible, horrific lack of judgement. Hannah wasn't the solution to Booth's pain. And now. Now he knew the damage he had caused Bones... the team... Parker. His self loathing recognized NO boundaries.

He was trying to remember the last time that he had gone out with the squints. They had invited him for a while but he couldn't recall accepting. Maybe Angela was more justified than he thought. "FUCK!" He didn't care if the room was empty. It felt good to say it out loud.

Checking the clock on the nightstand, Booth was relieved to see that 3 days had finally passed. Bones said the universe would be right again at the end of three days. Sadly, he wondered what her three days had been like. He couldn't forget she had been alone. There had been no one there for her. No one to hold her... no one to tell her it would be OK. No one.


End file.
